Hobcaw Barony brings life sciences classes online
April 16, 2020
On Monday, April 20, Hobcaw Barony will launch its new online learning portal, providing free resources for homeschool students and for teachers creating distance-learning curriculum that meets South Carolina state standards for Life Science courses.
Kicking off during Earth Week, the first series of online videos will explore a variety of habitats at Hobcaw Barony, giving a view into the rich biodiversity of the landscape, including:
Monday, April 20: Tar Kiln Swamp
Tuesday, April 21: King’s Highway
Wednesday, April 22: Salt Marsh Trail
Thursday, April 23: Barnes Ridge
Friday, April 24: Longleaf Pines
Following the launch of the first series, Hobcaw Barony will release two videos each week through the end of the school year. The ongoing series will focus on specific subjects including carnivorous plants, macroinvertebrates and caterpillars.
“My goal is to provide good scientific education to children by using the many resources we have at Hobcaw,” explained Sara Beth Freytag, Coordinator for Children & Youth Education at Hobcaw Barony. “My hope is that teachers will utilize these videos, since they match up with Life Science S.C. state standards, and that kids and adults alike can learn from them. It is what I see as something that we can do to help out in this time of insecurity and distance.”
Throughout the year, Hobcaw Barony offers in-person classes and experiences incorporating hands-on interaction with features of the property, promoting a high-quality learning experience and fostering student participation and curiosity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff saw an opportunity to provide the same education and emotional benefits from seeing nature through a series of videos.
All videos will be posted on Hobcaw Barony’s YouTube channel and linked on Hobcaw’s Facebook page.
For more information about Hobcaw Barony, visit the property’s website. Hobcaw Barony is currently closed to the public in accordance with state restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic and will resume operations once state officials have deemed that doing so is safe for public health.
About Hobcaw Barony
The Belle W. Baruch Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation created through the vision of Belle Wilcox Baruch and established as a trust at her death in 1964. Today, the Belle W. Baruch Foundation is the sole owner of Hobcaw Barony, the privately owned research reserve located on the coast near Georgetown, South Carolina. The foundation’s primary mission is to conserve Hobcaw Barony’s unique natural and cultural resources for research and education.
Hobcaw Barony’s 16,000 acres encompass a rich diversity of every common ecosystem found on the South Carolina coast, making it an unparalleled site for research in the environmental sciences. In addition, over 70 cultural sites on the former plantation grounds, including cemeteries, slave cabins and the Baruchs’ homes, all provide a time capsule for educators.
Currently, as many as 12 trustees serve on the foundation’s board and are responsible for all ownership decisions. The State of South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the Probate Court of Richland County, South Carolina, provide oversight for the trust. Additionally, the South Carolina Secretary of State has oversight responsibility for charitable activities of the foundation in South Carolina. The foundation is recognized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, as well as an exempt operating foundation. Contributions to the foundation are tax exempt to the extent allowed by current tax law.
